


Regaining Trust

by crescent_gaia



Series: Swords and Magic [1]
Category: Warcraft (2016)
Genre: Multi, Post-Movie(s), hints of Garona/Lothar/Khadgar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-13
Updated: 2016-06-13
Packaged: 2018-07-14 19:05:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7186340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crescent_gaia/pseuds/crescent_gaia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Khadgar trusts, maybe too much, that Garona killing the king was for a good reason.  Maybe Lothar is right, that he is foolish, but he needs to know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Regaining Trust

Khadgar knew that staring up at the ceiling was not going to help with falling asleep. Little did, these days, save for a strong drink, but he didn’t want to be dependent on it. He didn’t want to be dependent on anyone, and if it was up to him, he would be building his own mage tower. The Kirin Tor worried about such a place and Lothar argued against it, nearly violently, so he gave up the idea. Sure, he was the new master mage of Azeroth, but it sure didn’t feel like it these days. He took a deep breath to calm himself, closing his eyes, and saw the half orc that he came to think of as a friend.

“Garona,” he whispered as he opened his eyes. He sat up, looking out the window, and seeing it was still night. It would be easy enough to slip away and come back by morning. _Or later and nobody would question it as I would say I was studying_ he thought and opened the window to go by raven form. It was the newest magic he learned and even he was surprised on how easy it was to change into that form and keep it for as long as he wanted to fly. He grabbed his robes, leaving the staff, but grabbing Garona’s dagger that Lothar left with him. “Maybe you are the reason I cannot sleep as you are separated from your owner,” he whispered to the dagger. He turned to the door and sighed as Lothar came into his rooms. “Even you know that you should knock.”

“I knew you weren’t asleep,” Lothar countered. “Where are you going?”

“I need to study some magic and it would be easier out in the open where there aren’t as many that might be harmed by it,” Khadgar said. He raised an eyebrow as Lothar scoffed. “What?”

“You’re lying.”

“I am not,” Khadgar said.

“You forget I know you a lot better than you realize.” Lothar moved closer to the mage, looking into clear eyes. He wouldn’t admit to anyone that he search those eyes every time since their fight with Medivh, worried for the young mage taking on so much, and worried that there might be a breaking point. “Where are you really going?”

Khadgar showed Lothar the dagger. “It keeps on speaking to me. It needs to be returned to its owner.”

Lothar sighed. It was an argument they had whenever orcs were brought up and it wasn’t going unnoticed. What Khadgar didn’t realize was the court was whispering about him, wondering if he was as loyal as Medivh was before turned to the Fel, and Taria was doing all she could to stop them. He was as well but there was a part of him that hated he needed to do so in the first place. He wondered if the mage’s mind would change if Garona did attack him, even kill him, and his stomach twisted in a worry he felt for Callan and his wife. “You shouldn’t go alone,’ is what he was finally able to get out.

“It’s the only way she’ll trust me and you know that.” Khadgar smiled at the scoff and took the warrior’s hand. “I’ll return. You know I will.”

“And if you are captured and worse? Where will we be? Will you leave your kingdom and world worse off for your death?” Lothar asked, not meeting the mage’s eyes as he looked down to their hands.

“Lothar… you and I know I have gotten out of worse,” Khadgar said quietly. “I should go before it gets much later. I’ll return. I – “

“Don’t,” Lothar said, cutting him off. “Don’t promise something you cannot keep to me. Just come back.” He let go of the mage’s hand.

Khadgar nodded, turning into his raven form, before flying off through the window. He didn’t look back, flying with all his might, to the location of the orcs. They were some staying around the portal but there were also some that spread to different regions as well. For the most part, the humans and orcs were keeping to their own sides, but that would only last so long. As the moon was setting, he landed on a rock overlooking the portal but hidden from view. He easily sensed the warlock, pushing down feelings to deal with him first, and now wondered how he was going to go about this. He thought about sitting on the rock until sunrise and then scouting. All plans changed when there was a voice behind him.

“You are an odd bird,” Garona said.

Khadgar turned around and chuckled. “And here I thought it would be hard to find you.”

“I sensed you. Better me to find you than anybody else. Is this a curse?” she asked, looking at his bird form.

“No, transport,” he replied. “Are you able to talk? Away from here so I don’t give myself away?” He waited as she thought about it. “Please – if only for a moment – I have something of yours. All you need to do is take it and I’ll leave.”

She lowered her head and nodded. “Follow me.” She led them away from the camp, far enough away for her own liking, and sat down on the ground. “Go ahead.”

He landed and then transformed back. He winced in pain and stretched his arms. “While it’s an easy way of transport, it is not without a price.”

“That is the way with everything.” She looked up at him. “You have the dagger. It felt like something was lost, for a long time, and the tug from you means you have it.”

He nodded and drew the dagger, offering her the hilt. It would be one of the stupidest things he would ever do and he was glad that Lothar wasn’t here to see it. Even though he enjoyed his staff and magic, Lothar made sure that he knew how to use a sword if needed. One of the most deadly times was giving an enemy a weapon with the hilt towards them. Khadgar countered that it was a show of trust and honor, that you expected the warrior to act his best. “If you want it.”

She took it, relaxing as she did, and put it where it should be. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “You want to know how it ended up in his neck. I’m surprised you didn’t try to kill me on sight.”

“There are two sides to every story. I’m willing to hear it, but I do not know if I will believe it.”

She chuckled. “I like that about you – speaking like an orc does – speaking what you mean.”

“Many mistrust me simply because I can do what they cannot. It is easier if I speak and act as I mean to go on. Something I didn’t learn from the Kirin Tor.”

She nodded. “The king asked me to kill him. Said there was no reason for us both to die and that it would be one way for me to regain my honor. It was either me or the many warriors that were coming for him. I want to think that he was comforted by the fact that it was me but I feel that is lying to myself. I mourn him, when I can, and I honor him, when I can. I’m trying to make Gul’dan a better leader with it and I fear he’s only going to try again. And nobody will listen to me this time.”

He stared at her for a moment. The story, as brief as it was, felt true. He heard of the scene from Lothar and it made sense if it was as she said. “I think it might have,” he said quietly. “I’ll tell him, if you want me to, but he might not believe you.”

She shook her head. “He either will believe it or he won’t. Don’t try to turn his mind from what he already thinks. It won’t end well for you.” She stood and went over to him, taking his hands, and looking into his eyes. “You are the strongest magic user I have ever felt, Khadgar, but I say this for your own good. Don’t come back. Not ever. Next time, I will have to kill you or drag you before Gul’dan who will only use you for his own ends.”

He nodded. “Of course. If I have a choice, I’d like death, but that’s just me.”

“For one so young, you should not be so willing to die,” she said.

“There are worse things than death, Garona,” he said. “So many worse.” He let go of one of her hands, reaching into his cloak, and producing a clear stone. “Use this only when you are alone. It’ll call me and, if you need to, has enough magic to transport you a small distance away. I’ll feel it and be able to come to you.”

She took it, turning it over, and put it into a pocket. “He won’t feel it?”

“You have a sense of magic around you too – the magic to hide and adapt – which means he won’t feel it.” He smiled before it faded. “I wish it had ended differently.”

“I too,” she said quietly. “Goodbye, my friend, if I can still call you that.”

“You can, my friend,” he said. He smiled as she hugged him and he hugged her back. He left soon after, using his raven form until he was safe enough away to portal back. The sun was rising as he appeared, a new guard a bit surprised but quickly stood at attention before the mage, and he smiled. “Good morning,” he said with a nod to the guard and went into the palace. A servant stopped him and directed him to a private dining room, where Lothar and Taria were sitting and talking quietly. That stopped as he came in and he bowed to both of them. “Good morning.”

“You’re back, so I say it is,” Taria said. “Come and sit with us.”

Khadgar nodded and moved to do so. He could feel Lothar studying him but ignored it for the moment, focusing on the queen. He sat opposite her and poured some tea. “I do have an answer, but I understand if you do not wish to hear it.”

“I wish to hear it,” Taria said quickly, before Lothar could say anything. “So please don’t look at Lothar and tell me of my husband’s last moments. Please.”

Khadgar nodded and told them what Garona told him. “There is no reason to question her words or her actions,” he added quietly.

Taria nodded, getting up from the table, and smiling as both men rose. “Thank you,’ she said quietly. “I needed to know and I trust her. If only because it is exactly what he would have wanted.” She blinked away a few tears as she kept her smile and walked out of the hall.

Khadgar waited until she left to sit down again, as did Lothar, but he didn’t turn to look. He could feel the disapproval coming off in waves before it suddenly stopped. “I won’t be going back but I left it open for her to contact us.”

Lothar sighed. “You are such a foolish mage.”

“It only enables her to contact me or portal a safe distance away and I’ll feel the use to go to her,” Khadgar replied and downed the tea, even though it hurt. He got up before he was pushed back down into his chair. “Lothar – “

“Are we able to contact her through the stone or is it only one way?” Lothar asked and leaned against the table.

“One way,” Khadgar said. “I could go there again, but I’d either be captured or killed, and told her I’d rather be killed. So if you want to go, go yourself, but I’m done. I’m done with your moods and you thinking that you know better than me because you think I’m foolish. Keeping a line of peace open with the orcs isn’t foolish. If you could see past your anger and sword, you would know that!” He took a breath and saw that Lothar looked amused. “What?”

“Feel better?”

“Yes,” Khadgar said and looked up at Lothar. “You keep on calling me foolish and naïve, my friend, but for you to let your anger cloud love? That’s more foolish than anything I could do at all.” He sighed. “They’re at the portal, by the way, but she might move on soon. She’s annoyed at Gul’dan and she fears he’s going to do something again. I kept that from the queen.”

“Thank you for doing so. She didn’t need to hear that.” Lothar thought about what the mage said and grinned. “Captured or killed, huh? How hard is it to do the sheep trick?”

“Not at all.” Khadgar grinned. “Took you long enough to pull your head out of your ass.”

“Well, you helped,” Lothar said. “And both of us would want you with us.”

Khadgar shrugged. “We’ll see. I don’t think that will ever be for me but I’m more than happy to help the both of you. I like seeing my friends happy. So, when are we going?”

“Now,” Lothar replied, getting up and giving a hand to Khadgar. “Unless you’re tired.”

“It’s portal use. If I ever get tired from that, then I’m doing it wrong,” Khadgar replied. It was easy to portal back from the dining room to the clearing he was before. He raised an eyebrow at seeing Garona there and looked around, trying to feel out if there were others.

“There isn’t anyone else. They believe I’m on a hunt and I’ve been hunting on my own more and more,” she said, looking at Lothar. “I see you decided to believe me.”

“It started more as believe in the person you told and then it went back to believing you,” he replied and stepped towards her. He smiled as she moved and hugged him tightly before kissing her. They broke the kiss a short moment later as she tensed. “What is it?”

“We need to go,” Khadgar said. “Now.”

Lothar looked at Garona. “Come back with us.”

“I can’t,” Garona said, kissing his cheek. “But we’ll find places to meet.”

“If you’re not going with him, let go now,” Khadgar said. He waited until she did, using the portal magic to send Lothar back with a loud protest from the warrior. “Hide,” he hissed to Garona who hesitated, her hand on her dagger. “Do it.” He smiled as she melded into the shadows, seeing the hiding magic first hand, and turned to face the warlock, shielding himself as he did so.

“So you’re the one I felt a trickle of earlier,” Gul’dan said. “You are not much, for one who killed Medivh, who was so powerful.”

“Using Fel magic is not powerful,” Khadgar said. “You just take and you never question the price of your soul, do you? Or the souls of the ones that you lead? You are only as powerful as you are useful. Once that’s gone, you’ll fall and you’ll be lost.”

Gul’dan chuckled darkly. “Little mage, I know exactly what I’m doing.” He let forth a blast of green magic, cracking the barrier, but it held as Khadgar threw bolts of arcane magic at him.

Khadgar smirked as two of the bolts hit the warlock. “They won’t save you. And from what I know of your orcs and honor, they won’t save you either! Denounce the Fel and work with us, Gul’dan. There’s no reason for this world to be torn apart by war or Fel.”

“Foolish boy,” Gul’dan said. “They know you now, once you entered that pool, and they’ll come for you in the end. They’ll make you serve, either now, or when the rest of your friends lie dead!” The green magic blasted harder this time, cracking the shield and wrapping around Khadgar, and squeezing him tight.

Khadgar reached for the strength inside of himself, forcing the Fel away and off of his body, not noticing the attacker from behind him as he fought the warlock. Garona did, using her dagger to disable the attacker, before she did the same to Gul’dan. The Fel magic broke, trying to get into Khadgar, before he used the arcane energies to burn it away. He took a few deep breaths before teleporting back to where he was before he collapsed unconscious. He woke a few hours later, back in his rooms, and quietly groaned in pain.

A sword was against his neck. “Open your eyes,” Lothar said.

Khadgar did so instantly, glowing blue, before they went back to his natural color. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I felt him coming and I needed to get you out of there. He didn’t know Garona or you were there. He thought I was scouting alone.”

Lothar sighed and put away his sword. “Never do that again. Until you appeared, I thought we lost you.”

“Oh… I’m going to be annoying you and worrying you for a very long time to come,” Khadgar said. “I’m glad you made up with Garona.”

“I am too,” Lothar said. “And I meant what I said earlier, even if you do not fully understand it. I’ll let you rest and we’ll figure out a way to see Garona when you’re ready.”

“Thanks,” Khadgar said and watched Lothar walk to the door before he spoke again. “I do understand, I just think you don’t – I –“ he tried to figure out what he was trying to say. 

“We’re not going to simply cast you aside, Khadgar,” Lothar said. “You should trust us more.”

“I do. I don’t trust myself.”

Lothar smiled. “Sleep on it then and we’ll revisit it when you’re ready.”

“Okay,” Khadgar replied. He relaxed into the bed, finding it easy to slip into sleep for the first time in a long time. There were no nightmares or voices, simply the lull of deep sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, he probably doesn't have raven form so quickly after, but he is The Mage of Warcraft now. So I say that he does. :)


End file.
